Environment

As part of its HSE management, Linde MH strives to minimize the impacts it has on the environment. In particular, the company aims to use resources responsibly and consistently reduce its local environmental impact. To do this, Linde MH pursues an indicator-based approach, focusing on energy and greenhouse gas emissions, water, and waste.

The company’s integrated management guideline “Quality – Health and Safety at Work—Environment—Energy” requires the management and all executives to ensure processes and production operations are environmentally friendly and energy efficient. Waste is also to be avoided wherever possible, and natural resources such as water, soil, and raw materials used in a sparing and responsible way. In addition, the guideline requires and promotes efforts to avoid or decrease the release of emissions into the air, water, and soil as well as active steps aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions generated by business activities.

Some Linde MH sites are developing specific strategies to take local conditions into account, in addition to KION’s Group-wide HSE standard. To support these efforts, an HSE officer has been appointed for each national subsidiary.

A key sustainability target in the corporate strategy is for all sites to obtain the ISO 14001 (environmental management) certification by 2024. Regular audits provide transparency regarding sustainability performance as well as the basis for continuous improvement in this area.

Since 2020, all Linde MH plants in Germany have been procuring their electricity exclusively from renewable sources. In addition to the environmental benefits, switching to green electricity has also generated significant cost savings. The sites in Germany and the Czech Republic are leading the way in this respect and demonstrating that the use of renewable energies can make both environmental and economic sense.

The German production sites and other Linde MH sites in Germany and abroad are certified in accordance with ISO 50001 (energy management) and are regularly reviewed as part of the current certification cycle.

Certification supports continual improvements in the area of energy efficiency, and the warehouse technology plant in Châtellerault is a prime example of this. This plant’s building technology makes it possible to determine lighting and heating operating times based on the outside temperature or sunlight, which generates significant energy savings. The team in Châtellerault initiated the ISO 50001 certification process back in 2013, and it was completed in 2015. This makes the plant a pioneer in the KION Group.

At new Linde MH sales and service locations, appropriate technical standards for construction and building technology help to save energy. These include—for example, at Willenbrock Fördertechnik in Burgwedel—energy-efficient façades and alternative heating systems (such as air source heat pumps), LED lighting with daylight control, green roofs, insect-friendly systems, and preparations for the installation of photovoltaic systems.

There are numerous other examples of energy savings achieved through process optimization in the company:

• Thanks to a precise process analysis, significant energy savings have been achieved on the powder painting line at Linde MH’s largest plant in Aschaffenburg. Some 20 fans and four cooling towers were being used to provide the mast cooling for the line. The process analysis showed that there was no need for this many resources and that the energy consumption was therefore too high. By optimizing the cooling zones, one cooling tower and four fans could be switched off, resulting in energy savings of approximately 25% for this process.
• Own renewable energy production at Linde MH Ibérica Spain: The installation of 252 solar panels on the roof in conjunction with two inverters with remote control and monitoring has generated savings of 380,000 euros and around 10.5 metric tons of CO₂e annually.
• By switching from a mix of energy sources to 100% renewable energy, Jetschke Industrie in Germany has achieved annual savings of 1,100 euros and 19 tons of CO₂e.
• Reducing compressed air leaks cuts energy consumption: Leaks lead to higher energy consumption and higher costs, which should be avoided for economic and environmental reasons. A single one-millimeter leak costs around 500 euros per year due to wasted energy. That is why the team at Linde MH Aschaffenburg meticulously searches for and eliminates leaks in the compressed air network, for example by replacing maintenance units, tools, shut-off valves, vents, or porous compressed air hoses.

Linde MH and its production facilities are based in regions with sufficient water supplies and good local infrastructure. The company makes sure that all facilities on its premises comply with the applicable safety and environmental regulations and are regularly checked to ensure that they are in good working order.

Measures have been taken at the plants to reduce water consumption, such as the instruction to wash company vehicles only when necessary. Existing plants and equipment are updated whenever buildings are renovated or facilities are upgraded or installed:

• The powder painting line at the Aschaffenburg plant has been at the cutting edge of technology since 2019. The process is fully automated and can completely eliminate pollution, volatile organic compound emissions (VOCs), and the need for water treatment thanks to the technologies in place. Solvent emissions alone have fallen by almost 25 tons per year.
• At the Weilbach production site, a special sweeper has been commissioned to clean outdoor areas on a daily basis. The machine is equipped with effective filters that have resulted in significant reductions in dust emissions during the sweeping process. Moreover, the super quiet machine needs only 40% of the water volume used by the previous equipment and is more energy-efficient.
• At the same site, closed cooling circuits are used for sand conditioning and in the cupola furnace to reduce water consumption. In these systems, the main aim of coolant treatment is to prevent corrosion by means of softening or desalination and chemical dosing. This means that water is rejected only when the salt content reaches a certain level.
• Willenbrock Fördertechnik conserves water by using a cistern to collect rainwater. With a capacity of 20,000 liters, it can collect a large amount of water when it rains, which is then used to flush toilets in the building and irrigate green outside spaces.
• At the Barcelona site, a washing plant with water treatment has been installed to reuse water and keep water consumption to a minimum.

Linde MH’s business activities have only a very minor impact on water quality, so apart from the use of light liquid separators, there is no need for any further pretreatment of wastewater prior to disposal. Nevertheless, Linde MH has its wastewater regularly monitored by external analyses, which are in turn monitored through internal reporting processes that record volumes and treatment methods. Water withdrawals and wastewater are regularly monitored by means of monthly sampling and analyses, for example.

Key figures on water withdrawal and wastewater can be found in the table.

[1] Surface water

The efforts being made worldwide to limit global warming and tackle the associated challenges require proactive, future-oriented action to protect the climate—including from Linde MH and its partners. In addition to its own direct activities, the KION Group works closely with its customers, suppliers, and business partners in various areas such as energy consumption, resource efficiency, the reduction of GHG emissions (greenhouse gases), and adaptation measures.

The KION Group’s climate and energy management policy is based on the Paris Agreement adopted at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in 2015. After setting initial climate targets in 2018 and carrying out a comprehensive strategy review starting in 2021, the KION Group made a public commitment in 2023 to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across its entire value chain by 2050 at the latest. The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has officially recognized the KION Group’s short-term climate targets and net-zero target for 2024 (see table “Group-wide Targets” on page 7).

The strategy takes into account carbon dioxide (CO₂), which makes up the largest share, but also other greenhouse gases such as methane, nitrogen oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride, and nitrogen trifluoride where possible and relevant. By setting these targets, the Group is also preparing for new regulations such as the European Green Deal and the EU Taxonomy.

The KION Group has set up a comprehensive climate management system to manage its GHG emissions and energy use, including the use of renewable energies, effectively and efficiently. This system covers the Group’s own operations as well as other parts of the value chain, from production through use and reuse at the end of the present product life cycle. The internationally recognized rules of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol serve as the basis for the calculation and presentation of data on GHG emissions.

The KION Group is working on a comprehensive transition plan for climate protection, which is expected to be completed in 2025. This plan will build on existing feasibility studies and form the basis for future climate protection measures.

[1] Indirect (upstream) fuel and energy-based greenhouse gas emissions

CO₂ Compensation via Certificates

In addition to the company’s own emission reduction measures, compensating for unavoidable emissions with climate protection certificates is another way to effectively mitigate climate change. Thanks to this approach, Linde Material Handling (Schweiz) AG has been delivering equipment to customers in Switzerland in a carbon-neutral way since July 2022, making it one of the first intralogistics companies to offer climate-friendly transportation. The company works with Swiss Climate to purchase emission certificates and support selected climate protection projects.

Thanks to these efforts, Linde Material Handling (Schweiz) AG has successfully offset 32.4 tons of CO₂ via a climate protection project. The supported project generates renewable energy from sawdust produced during the production of raw material for paper manufacture. The sawdust is reused as biomass to produce water vapor, which in turn serves as the energy source for the production of raw material. This regenerative system therefore enables fossil energy sources to be replaced as a heat source. The biomass project is one of the only climate protection projects in Europe to have been awarded Swiss Climate’s “Gold Standard.”

All German companies in the Group also offer their employees the opportunity to use a portion of their gross pay to lease a bicycle, which they can then use outside of their commute as well. By offering this scheme, Linde MH is responding to the wishes of many colleagues while at the same time promoting sustainable mobility. Furthermore, new company car regulations are now in place at Linde MH Nordic Markets (Denmark, Sweden, Norway) meaning that only hybrid and purely electric cars are permitted.

Linde MH buildings are usually located in industrial areas where no residents live. Ongoing checks and measurements have shown that noise barriers are not needed. However, the company does employ internal noise protection measures, such as enclosures for the relevant work areas, roller shutters in workshops, and personal protective equipment.

Linde MH has systems for filtering exhaust air—such as exhaust gases, paint, and welding fumes—at many sites as well as dedusting systems in trucks. Highly effective filter systems are installed in the foundries in particular to minimize the release of fine dust into the atmosphere and environment. Where emissions are generated by painting and heating systems, Linde MH uses highly effective combustion processes that minimize pollutants in the gases emitted into the atmosphere and feed the heat generated back into the buildings or manufacturing processes.

[1] SOx values have been based on a new measurement method since 2024

Linde MH has introduced resource-saving measures at nearly all of its sales and service entities—including opportunities for truck refurbishment, return systems for batteries, and partnerships for the return and recycling of tires. The refurbishment process extends the service life of forklift trucks and improves material efficiency and the environmental balance, such as their carbon footprint, energy consumption, and VOC emissions. This significantly reduces the overall demand for energy and raw materials, as well as the amount of waste generated.

The mixed production line in Aschaffenburg, where several different truck models are assembled on the same line, is another example of how the company is using resources more efficiently. As well as offering economic advantages, this production method is also extremely beneficial from an environmental perspective: The smaller production area reduces the need for raw materials and energy for the construction, operation, and maintenance of the infrastructure. The level of automation in production was also increased in the case of forklift trucks built on the mixed production line, for example through robotic welding. This not only has environmental benefits, such as reducing power peaks, but also health benefits, as employees in many areas are no longer directly exposed to the hazards of the welding process, such as heat and smoke.

Making the most economical use of resources has become the established approach at the Weilbach site, too: Parts that are indispensable for all forklift trucks have been cast here since 1975. The team at the foundry produces counterbalances that are made entirely from melted scrap from all over Europe and are assembled in Aschaffenburg. Depending on the product line, a counterbalance can weigh between 700 and 3300 kilograms.

Replacing critical or hazardous substances with less critical ones is also an important aspect of responsible resource management. This applies both to raw materials and to operating materials that are required for production but do not form part of the end product. For example, the hazardous substance methylene chloride, which was commonly used to clean paint spray guns, has been replaced with a less dangerous substance in recent years. A less hazardous product is also being used to rinse painting facilities.

The careful use of resources also requires the careful disposal of waste. Linde Pohony in the Czech Republic, for example, uses waste compactors that are suitable for plastic and paper waste. They reduce fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions because there is less waste to dispose of. In addition, they are covered to prevent rainwater from becoming contaminated.

In France, Fenwick-Linde stopped sending industrial waste to landfill in February 2023 and is working with the waste-to-energy plant in Limoges to recycle all of its waste. The material is recycled in a combustion plant, and the heat generated is converted into electricity via a turbine and fed into the grid.

Our headquarters in Aschaffenburg and production plant in Nilkheim are also reducing their waste in another specific area. With RECUP and REBOWL, a system with more than 13,900 takeout and return points, the company avoids 30 kilograms of waste a day while saving 30,000 euros every year.

[1] Increased waste volumes due to a technical defect and construction-related waste disposal
[2] Changed data collection in accordance with waste disposal reports

The mandatory annual HSE training also covers topics relating to the company’s environmental, climate, and energy management, such as energy and water consumption, waste separation, and climate risks.

The numerous environmental protection campaigns organized over the years are a testament to the company’s success at raising employee awareness of environmental issues:

• Every year at Easter, the “Recycling Bunny” visits employees in Switzerland with ideas, tips, and suggestions relating to sustainability and health. The more that is recycled, the less needs to be produced. As well as preventing huge amounts of emissions from being released into the atmosphere, this will also conserve a lot of natural resources.
• A green roof has been installed at Willenbrock Fördertechnik specifically to protect bees and insects. The 1,087 m² roof of an office building has been planted with grass, shrubs, and flowers to provide a source of food for bees and other insects. Green roofs like this not only promote local biodiversity but also improve air quality, lower the ambient temperature, and store rainwater. Going forward, the plan is to install an economically viable number of PV systems covering a total area of 9,304 m² on the hall roof in order to produce renewable energy and reduce the company’s dependence on fossil fuels.
• Information on potential ways to reduce energy consumption has been posted in the buildings at Fenwick-Linde’s branches in France and this was already generating savings of around 5,100 euros and a reduction of 10 metric tons of CO₂e in 2022.

Idea Management at Linde MH

Idea Management has been an established part of Linde MH for many years now and supports the continuous development of the company through the suggestions provided by employees. Quality standards, productivity, and employee satisfaction are thus improved across the company based on the insights and experiences of the staff as a whole. The aim is to unlock untapped potential and incorporate it into the continuous improvement process for the entire product and service portfolio. This also includes production and work processes as well as working conditions, including occupational health and safety and environmental protection. Ideas for improvement are assessed by an expert from the relevant department using defined evaluation criteria and rewarded based on the resulting score.

As part of the idea management’s environmental sustainability campaigns, employees submit their ideas on how Linde MH can become more sustainable. Questions include, for example: How can we reduce our energy consumption? How can we save on raw materials and components, or re-use them more effectively as part of a closed-loop cycle? How can we optimize our supply chains and transport routes to make them more environmentally friendly? And, how can we reduce waste and improve recycling? A panel then selects the ten best suggestions in each case and awards prizes to the top three ideas with the biggest environmental impact. Several ideas that came directly from employees have already been implemented at Linde MH.

One of these ideas is to use reusable packaging on short transport routes: While products from the warehouse were previously sent to the plant in Aschaffenburg in the same sized boxes with filling material, reusable crates in different sizes are now used for these deliveries.

Another employee’s idea to switch from using disposable aerosol cans in quality assurance to ones that can be refilled and thus reused has also been implemented to positive effect. At the plant in Aschaffenburg, around 3000 to 4000 of these cans were consumed every year. The changeover to the new cans has reduced the amount of waste generated and minimized the release of propellant gases such as CO₂ and propane without any negative impact on quality. The aerosols are now supplied in large canisters and transferred to the reusable cans, which can also be operated with compressed air generated using green electricity. This clean energy source improves the overall sustainability of processes and reduces dependency on conventional fossil fuels. Following a successful trial phase at the plant in Aschaffenburg, the reusable cans are also being used at the plant in Stribro, while potential applications are currently under review at the plant in Kolbaskowo and Willenbrock Fördertechnik.

In addition, a sensor-based analysis of the compressed air network has been carried out based on an idea submitted during the campaign. This analysis has allowed us to optimize the network’s control system and save 300 MWh of energy annually. Other measures, such as using AI to help detect leaks in the compressed air network, are currently in the works. Linde MH is also taking steps to identify other plants where the efficiency of the compressed air network could potentially be optimized.

By introducing these measures, Linde MH has reduced its environmental footprint and underscored its commitment to using resources in a responsible way. The success of these initiatives provides an incentive to introduce similar sustainable practices at all plants—and thus make a significant contribution to a sustainable future for the company.

Fleet and Transport Management

In terms of the switch to more environmentally friendly drives, the fleet and transport management strategy is to replace the company’s own combustion vehicles with electric models. For example, Jetschke Industriefahrzeuge in Germany—a subsidiary of Linde MH—has already replaced two diesel vans with two electric vans and replaced two diesel vehicles with purely electric vehicles plus a further eight diesel vehicles with plug-in gasoline hybrid vehicles.

In addition, the area management plan for service technicians has been restructured at all Fenwick-Linde branches in France in order to optimize the fleet and routes. At Loire Océan Manutation, also in France, route planning has been optimized to achieve a better distribution of customer service technicians’ sectors by forming groups of two according to customers and geographical areas.

The use of the new software Area Reform also enabled Linde Magyarország Anyagmozgatási in Hungary to reduce fuel consumption by optimizing the routes and thus the emissions of service vehicles.

Fourteen new EV charging stations were installed at Willenbrock Fördertechnik—eight in Bremen and six in Großburgwedel—to promote e-mobility among employees. The company’s vehicle fleet currently consists of 26 hybrid vehicles and two electric vehicles.